


Cactus Juice and Other Poor Decisions

by misszeldasayre



Category: Avatar (TV), Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Adventure, Avatar, Drabble, Drabble Collection, F/F, F/M, Family, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Implied Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Love, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-01-20 22:10:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12442830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misszeldasayre/pseuds/misszeldasayre
Summary: A collection of drabbles centered on the Gaang's misadventures.





	1. Cactus Juice

Cactus juice burns going down. Aang should've recognized the sting, but Sokka urges him on.

"Free drinks! Nothing suspicious about that." Sokka chugs another glass. "Is that a rabaroo?"

"Looks like a barstool…" Aang blinks; it becomes Appa snuffling at Sokka's fingers.

"We're eating well tonight!" Sokka leaps up from the bar, boomerang in hand. Aang's mouth won't cooperate; his tongue is lead. But he lunges for Sokka's legs, wrapping his arms around them, yanking him down.

"Don't let dinner get away!" Sokka wriggles free from Aang, diving towards his prize.

Appa won't be dinner, not on Aang's watch. Launching himself at Sokka's prey, he smacks his head on… wood? Sky-bison are soft, but this… hurts. "Just a stool," Aang sighs.

Sokka spots blood trickling down Aang's forehead. He tugs off his tunic, tying the sleeves around Aang's head to staunch the flow. "Guess we're eating lentils tonight. Again."


	2. Moonlight

It's that time of night when Zuko regrets drinking water before bed. Snuggled in his bedroll, too comfortable to move. He wishes he's a waterbender so he can stand where he is, directing his pee downwind from camp instead of marching into the trees. Aang probably gets away with that, lucky kid.

At least the moon illuminates the forest tonight. Too hard to pee when you're lighting your own way.

After dropping his drawers, Zuko remembers Sokka's lament: "My first girlfriend turned into the moon."

Zuko notices the moonlight touching every part of his body... Is Sokka's girlfriend  _watching_  him? Can she see his... ? Zuko glances around, furtively covering the crown jewels with his hands. But oh, does he need to go, moon girlfriend be damned.

He uncovers himself, but swears the moon brightens at the sight. Red-faced, Zuko yanks up his pants, resolving to hold it until morning.


	3. Tea at Midnight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know that Aang and Katara end up together. A writer can dream, though. Set after "The Promise" graphic novel series.

"Why are you up so late, Katara?"

The waterbender jumps at Iroh's voice. "General! I- thought you were asleep." She sits at a table in the teahouse, tapping her fingers impatiently.  _Waiting,_  Iroh muses,  _but for whom?_

"My apologies for frightening you." He heats a mug of water with his palms. "When I can't sleep, I drink lavender tea. Would you like some?"

Katara swallows nervously. "No, thank you. I'll, um, just... head back to bed." She bolts upstairs.

Iroh chuckles. Oh, to be young and in love. A secret rendezvous with the Avatar, he supposes. Pity he interrupted it.

Two cups later, Iroh is startled to hear not the waterbender's voice, nor the Avatar's, but a husky rasp whispering, "Katara? Katara!"

Iroh walks to the pantry to find his nephew covered by nothing but the strategically-placed doorframe.

"Oh gods..." Iroh mutters. "I need another cup of tea."


	4. Dangerous Attraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set during "The Search" graphic novels.

"I'll take first watch." Sokka doesn't know why he volunteers. Maybe it's her warrior's stance, her wild eyes.

"Wake me up in two hours," Zuko yawns, stripping off his shirt before lying down. "I'll take over."

The princess trains her gaze on Sokka, baring her canines. Suddenly Sokka's uncertain— is he the hunter or the hunted? Gripping his boomerang, he circles his captive.

"Step away from me!" Azula commands. "You stink like a hog-monkey!" But the hungry look in her eyes contradicts her words; the usual snap in her voice isn't present tonight.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you're complimenting me."

"Maybe." Coy now. "Untie my hands and I'll—" A lingering glance at her captor, head to toe.

"Nice try, but you're not my first prisoner."

Azula shrieks, tendrils of dark hair matted around her face.

"Frustration's not a good look on you," Sokka lies.


	5. Sunburn

"Sokka! Help me with the tent!" Katara's cries are met with silence.

Laying in the field, Sokka and Zuko exchange grins. Camp will still get set up and dinner will still be cooked, with or without their help.

Zuko flips onto his back, soaking up the fading sunbeams with a contented sigh. Sokka flips over, too, but grimaces when his bare skin makes contact with the grass.

"What's the face for? Can't handle a little bit of sun?"

"You just loooove showing off your fire resistance, don't you?" Sokka grumbles. "While I'm out here burning to a crisp! The perfect snack for the next lion vulture that flies by."

"That's rough, buddy," Zuko snickers, examining the burn stretching the length of Sokka's torso. "You play with fire… Well, you know how it goes."


	6. Big Mouth

Sokka never keeps his big mouth shut. "You're the greatest warrior I've ever seen— for a girl."

Suki is on her feet, fans drawn, a dangerous smile creeping across her face. "For a girl?"

"Yeah… I mean… you're pretty tough, and you sure know how to hold your own in a fight—"

Toph flicks a booger towards Sokka from her rocky perch, descending towards him.

"Gee, Snoozles, it's like you're begging us to kick your butt." She cocks her head in Suki's direction, questioning.

"We should probably give you what you're asking for," Suki agrees. The note of apology in her voice is drowned out by her wicked grin.

Sokka gulps, backing away from the advancing girls until his back hits the mountain.

"Looks like there's nowhere to run," Toph says.

"Guess you're going to have to get past us," Suki says. "But sure, go easy on us— we're  _girls_."


	7. Single on a Shirsu

Galloping across the plains on the back of a shirsu is a special hell Zuko hopes never to experience again. At least the beast's snuffles drown out Iroh's snores. Zuko wishes his uncle had sat behind him. Then Zuko would be the one pressed up against the bounty hunter's back.

But he doesn't have that distraction to take his mind off the pain, and his aching backside can't stand much more of this ride. "How much longer?"

"Don't worry, Prince Pouty, we'll find your girlfriend soon enough."

Suddenly it's very important the bounty hunter understands that this waterbender they're chasing is  _not_  his girlfriend. "I'm after her friend," he glowers.

"Right." June doesn't conceal her skepticism, but Zuko's still drawn to her velvety voice.

"So, uh, how about you? Do you have a—?"

She shuts him down with a withering glare. Zuko doesn't speak again until Iroh wakes hours later.


	8. Good Hygiene

Mai hates the water, but then again, Mai hates everything. It's Ty Lee who insists they stop to bathe, though it means prolonging their chase.

"Just a few minutes in the stream," Ty Lee wheedles. "Please? We won't lose the Avatar's trail, not when his bison's shedding."

Azula craves the rush of the chase— the hunt— but she's tired of the smell. "Ten minutes."

Mai groans. Ty Lee giggles, stripping to her underclothes and leaping into the river. Her delight echoes through the forest. Azula unclasps her robe, eying her friend. She momentarily wishes she was a waterbender so she could part the waves. For tactical reasons, obviously. So she could scout for sky bison fur in the water. Not so she could better admire Ty Lee's wet hair streaming down her back. Examining this view, Azula determines they mustn't skip bath time anymore, not even to catch the Avatar.


	9. A Passing Fancy

The palace is isolated, and Ozai is distant. Ursa longs for her village, her freedom. But the Fire Princess cannot escape this cage of flames.

So when she runs into an upstart soldier looking for the throne room, Ursa can't help but smile at his gallantry. Lieutenant Zhao is polite, dashing. He doesn't look through Ursa the way her servants and husband do. He  _sees_  her, and for now, that is enough.

She learns he fights under General Shu, that he often accompanies the commander to strategy conferences with the Fire Lord. Ursa paces the corridors, hoping to encounter him again. Most days, she's left with sore feet and a lonely heart. But occasionally, Zhao appears, wandering through the halls. Is he looking for her, too? Ursa knows those are ridiculous thoughts— she's the Fire Prince's wife. No man alive is foolish enough to cross him, even for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's unclear when Zhao's military career begins taking off, so I took the liberty of starting it before Ursa's banishment for the sake of this prompt.


	10. Fortune Telling

"Should I make stew or soup for dinner tonight?" Katara's smile does little to appease Aunt Wu's growing frustration.

"I predict you should return your campsite. Start making stew right now! Your friends must be hungry."

The waterbender blinks. "But Aunt Wu, we just ate lunch."

"So did I. Now it's time for my midday nap."

Katara's squeal makes Aunt Wu groan. She isn't skilled at picking up on subtleties. Aunt Wu predicts her nap will be shorter than she'd like.

"I have this weird mole that's been itching and won't stop. It wakes me up and, well… I'll show you."

To Aunt Wu's dismay, Katara lifts her tunic over her head, displaying a prominent mole on her stomach. Aunt Wu sighs. Even if she manages that nap she's craving, it'll be haunted by images of giant moles. So she says the words the girl wants to hear: "I predict…"


End file.
